Sunday, September 20, 2009

A look back at UTEP

The game last night was unwatchable.

The Aggies are really a team in major transition. I'm not surprised they lost 38-12 to UTEP. They lost 21-6 to Idaho and barely beat Prairie View A&M.

This year is being sacrificed for years down the road. Ironically, it's similar to Hal Mumme's first season, when the team went through a total change in system offensively and didn't have the pieces to make it work. I'm not giving up on the future years under DeWayne Walker but, so far, the first three games have been rough.

I just want to get this out of the way before we go any further. The team should start Trevor Walls at quarterback against New Mexico next weekend. With the exception of the second half against Idaho - when the Aggies moved the chains the final two quarters - the passing game has been a non-threat.

Is it all on Jeff Fleming's shoulders? No. He can't help it when Kyle Nelson has a ball bounce off his body and into the arms of a UTEP defender on the first play of the game. He can't help it when Marcus Anderson drops a deep ball in the second quarter that would have put the Aggies inside Miner territory. He's not committing holding penalties when the team moves into the opposing redzone - a re-occuring theme in two of the three games the Aggies have played.

Still, his numbers have not been good. 35-of-66 for 367 yards and four interceptions. No touchdowns. And while Walls' numbers don't pop out at you, the team had two touchdown drives with him in the game last night. He threw a TD pass - Nelson caught the ball - the first Aggie scoring toss this season. Will he lead the Aggies to a bowl game this year? No. But he gives them a better opportunity to beat the Lobos next week in Albuquerque.

Speaking of which, that promises to be an awful football game. UNM is in a similar spot as NMSU - a complete overhaul in system, a brand new coaching staff, searching for an identity to hang its hat on. The one guarantee is this: both teams will be desperate. Whether or not that translates into a decent game is another question.

Penalties and special teams: One things is for certain about the Aggies.

The team is limited on firepower. And when that's the case, the unit needs to be fundamentally sound and disciplined. They were neither on Saturday night, nor were they against Idaho in Week 1. Just look at the penalties.

The Aggies actually came out and had two decent drives following the lightning delay. They move the ball to the UTEP 29-yard line in the first quarter. Flag, holding on Mike Grady. Bring it back. Drive killer, NMSU goes for it on fourth-and-10 later in the possession and Fleming is dropped by UTEP's Aaron King.

On the next possession, down 7-0 still, the Aggies move the ball down to the UTEP 15. Flag. Holding. Bring it back. Second-and-17 from the 25. Flag, false state. Bring it back. Kyle Hughes goes on to miss a 43-yard field goal. NMSU is now 0-for-3 on field goal attempts this year, with Hughes missing his only two tries.

Another terrible penalty: Aggies clinging to life, down 24-0. UTEP throws an interception to Davon House, who made a great play in the endzone, one-on-one with the defender, juggling, picking and bringing the ball out to midfield. Some life?!?! Wrong. Flag. Roughing the passer. UTEP keeps possession. Next play, touchdown, 31-0, game over.

The Aggies were penalized eight times for 70 yards. You can't play that way and expect to win if you're the Aggies. They just don't have enough to make up for those types of errors.

"That's something that's kind of disturbing," Walker said of the penalty problems. "The referees are doing their job. We can't argue those calls."

On a bright note, I thought Tonny Glynn had some nice kick returns. And I'm not being sarcastic, he looked alright to me in that department.

Defense: Defensively, the team didn't play as poorly as the final score might indicate. It was 14-0 in the third quarter, a lead which went to 17-0.

Fleming throws a pick deep in Aggie territory. Touchdown Miners.

On the next possession, Walls and Colston botch a handoff, UTEP recovers the fumble at the Aggie 20. Again, touchdown Miners. That's tough.

On the surface, NMSU held the ball for 30:27 to UTEP's 29:33. Still, take a look a bit deeper. The first quarter had the Aggies holding onto the ball for 11:06 (UTEP 3:54). And in the second quarter, NMSU had the ball for 8:09 (UTEP 6:51). In other words, UTEP won time of possession in the second half and wore out the Aggie D. The Miners ran the ball better in the second half. But I thought the defense battled.

One area the team needs to get better at? Third down conversion. UTEP converted nine-of-14 third downs on the evening.

"Idaho we didn't look too well, last week we thought we got a handle on it," Walker said of third-downs. "We gotta go back and take a look at it. On both sides of the ball."

Lightning storm: That was strange for everyone involved - players to coaches to fans to reporters. A three-hour delay, then they go back out there and play a football game? Strange.

No one in the Aggie camp used it as an excuse, which they shouldn't have. Both teams had to deal with it and, as Walker pointed out following the game, NMSU actually came out of the locker room and strung together some decent drives that ultimately stalled in UTEP territory. Still, the Aggies actually played a decent first quarter following the delay, UTEP just outlasted them.

Linebacker Jason Scott said that during the break the team talked football, ate oranges and bananas, went over the Miners first scoring run and stayed focused. That's a long time to be sitting around waiting to take the field. It's not easy. Again, UTEP had to deal with it also.

Some bright spots: I mentioned Tonny Glynn on kickoff returns.

I thought the team fought defensively until running out of gas.

Davon House seemed to have a good game at cornerback. The Miners elected to throw toward Jonte Green and Chris Buckner as opposed to House. When the ball did come House's way, he either made the tackle or in the one case, had a nice interception that was called back because of a roughing the passer penalty.

Seth Smith had another 100-yard effort on 13 carries. He had a 53-yard run that set up the Aggies' first score of the game.

Ross Conner made 11 tackles.

And there's always next week. The Lobos game should be interesting. Two teams that are struggling right now, but a contest the Aggies can win.

40 comments:

Anonymous
said...

Walker has the talent to use, he's just not utilizing it. Fleming needs to be benched immediately...he has not shown any signs of having the ability to play Div. I-A football. Walls needs to be the starting QB and they need to start throwing to Marcus Anderson, damn it!! He's a gem and he's hardly being used at all.

Boston and his cronies keep hiring one idiot after another..enough is enough. There have been so many quality candidates over the years and they always choose the stupidest one to hire.

The high school football is good in Las Cruces, but the people there don't know crap about college football, NOTHING. NM State needs to network and reach out to schools like Texas and Oklahoma and get their input on building a solid football program...it can be done and guys like Mack Brown and Stoops would probably help, as much as their contracts would allow them. NM State is not a threat to them or the Big 12, so it probably wouldn't be a big deal. NM State would probably end up with a few good players that don't make the Texas or OU rosters and maybe even get a decent head coach groomed by them.

But no, NM State would rather hire an assistant coach off a losing UCLA team. UCLA hasn't been relevant in college football for several years now.

How much more do you people in Las Cruces have to take to realize that Boston and the people running the NM State athletic dept. are straight up morons?

Hold on, hold on...Teddy, you're what 26? You don't even know the history of Aggie football. Boston has done nothing but hire one bad coach after another. The Aggie football team is loaded with talented receivers and running backs and Walker keeps starting Fleming, a junior college reject who couldn't find a receiver if he had radar technology. NM State hasn't been to a bowl game in a while, but they had some quality teams before Boston came around.

My name is Ralph Tellez I grew up in Las Cruces and I now live in Texas...so now I'm backing up my words. I have always loved the Aggies, but I'm sick of outsiders who think they know everything about NM State sports. You're a good writer, but I know more about Aggie history than you will ever know. How about that Teddy?

Didn't Boston say that we were going to maintain a wide open offense even after Mumme. That was the one thing that I saw NMSU do right in all the years of watching this team make mistake after mistake. In the WAC a team that runs on 2nd and 22 or 3rd. and 22 does not have any hope.

Thank you Anon 11:30 AM. NM State has so many talented receivers who can break big plays and they are running on 3rd and 22, right outside the red zone!!

Mumme wasn't the best coach, but the offense was exciting to watch...Walker is yawn city. He has no clue how to use his personnel. I heard about Marcus Anderson, he's from nearby Austin, and NM State was lucky to land an athlete like him. Anderson could easily be playing for someone like Texas Tech. NM State should be throwing to him on every down.

Houston Nutt is where? I think Ole Miss...and to think he could be our coach. He wanted the NM State job badly, a few years back.

Well, at least you put your name behind what you're saying. That was really big of you. Anyone can come on here and rip anybody with no repercussions.

True, true, I don't know the chronicles of Aggie football like some do. Here's what I do know about the team: It hasn't been to a bowl game in 50 years. They are well below .500 against the Miners and the Lobos in the programs' history. They may have had some decent teams here and there in the past 50 years. But nothing to write home about, lets not make it sound like they were the '85 Bears and have been torn down the last 5-10 years.

They are transitioning from a spread, pass-first offense to a run-based, short-passing attack which favors a mobile quarterback. They likely wouldn't have been much better if Hal Mumme was still here and this is virtually his team. They graduated most if not all of their key players from this past offseason - Chase Holbrook, Chris Williams, A.J. Harris, Richie Bolin, Polo Gutierrez, Derrick Richardson. I agree, I like Marcus Anderson. But you need a quarterback that can get him the ball deep down the field. Anderson was suited for Mumme's offense, a small, speed receiver who was a tough matchup for opposing teams in the slot. Their running back unit has some talent but it can't do it alone and the passing game is sputtering. It's tough to be one-dimensional, especially when you're a one-dimensional ground team. I definitely wouldn't say the Aggies are "loaded with talented wide receiver and running backs." Here, you are going out on a limb and it's not a very sturdy one.

There defensive system is also much different than the one they ran last year. Nick Paden, who made over 100 tackles last year, is out for the year with an injured knee. They have undersized linebackers up and down the board, an undersized defensive line and inexperienced cornerbacks. Their best defensive players are Davon House and Stephone Hatchett. Jason Scott plays with a ton of heart but is very small for a middle linebacker. Their defensive line is small. It might be scary to think this right now, but I think the team is actually over achieving on defense right now.

They're not playing well. To say this is an isolated incident and that this season is different from many others in recent history seems to be short-sighted. One doesn't need to be a 50-year follower of the program to recognize that.

Well, I respect you, but I don't agree with you Teddy. NM State has good talent. I didn't like Mumme at all but I have to admit he and his staff were good recruiters and he left the Aggies with enough talent to compete...they just need a coach that is qualified and knows what he is doing.

Tony Samuel before Mumme had a chance to build up the program and he was doing so until he got the ax. Walker is no Tony Samuel.

I don't mean to be sarcastic Teddy, but everything you just wrote is common knowledge and nothing new to me. I don't live in Las Cruces but I still follow the Aggies for some insane reason..lol.

It's true, NM State has never had a great football team, not since 1960, but I don't recall the Aggies being as bad as they are this year. However, Jim Bradley, Jim Hess and Tony Samuel led them to winning seasons. NM State also has had some competitive teams that won 5 games a few times.

They got their butts handed to them by a horrible UTEP team last night. This is one of the worst Aggie teams in a long time. The Aggies went winless Mumme's first year, but that team also played a tough schedule with all Div. I-A teams.

I'm not 50...lol..but I have seen many Aggie teams play in person over the years and I don't think you are informed enough to say this team is no different from years past Teddy.

All over this blog last year, people ripped him up and down the board. If I wrote anything positive about him, it was met with resistance from posters. Now, they're piling on Walker. Same story, new face in the coach's chair.

During the spring, everyone was on the Walker bandwagon. Now, the team's off to a tough start, and it sounds like the wagon is bare. That's fickle.

I also want to say, UTEP will have a decent-to-good record by the end of the year. They got off to a slow start, but they do have talent.

I don't want to bicker back and forth all day with fans. But whoever thought this team would win more than four games this year had a warped perception of the program going into the season.

Ok, hold up..lol. I am not defending Mumme overall as a coach, but he was a good recruiter and he brought talent here. Also, I have not been a supporter of Walker...I was not happy with his hiring. Honestly, I wish NM State had pursued one of the Bradleys or maybe even Jim Miller. Anyone but Walker.

I am not defending Mumme at all, but I'm admitting he brought some good talent here. I was never on the Walker bandwagon either, so I don't know what you're talking about Teddy. I wish NM State had pursued local talent like one of the Bradleys or maybe even Jim Miller...anyone other than Walker.

The Aggies are playing a whopping 13 games, the least they could do is win 4 or 5 games.

You're right Teddy, you don't need to bicker all day with fans like me...but you should know more about Aggie history and this area. I'm sure the area you come from is a great place, but you are paid to write for the Sun-News...a fan like msyelf should not know about NM State history than you, a paid professional. It's your job to research and know about the area and the sports history here.

I'm willing to give Walker a chance, he doesn't have the players he needs for his system, but how does the team just not show up to play the biggest home game of the year?

Apparently some of the players during the weather stoppage were on their phones updating their MySpace status' as "I'm bored" or "I wish I was at that party tonight." After I heard that I knew the reason these guys don't win. It doesn't matter to them.

And you know what? The same goes for the rest of the students. We are the most apathetic group in the nation. There's a small group that really, really cares about football and then a whole bunch of people who would rather just tailgate, come to the game late and leave at halftime (for more drinking obviously).

You people don't know a damn thing about college football. Dewayne Walker does not have the talent to run the offense, and defense we want to run. It is going to take time for Walker to get the players to fit in our system. People really need to start being patients. Walker is a good coach. He is going to get this program turned around. We already have the QB for the future. He just is red-shirting this season. Tanner Rust is the future. Next season should be better. I am hoping we can land one more JUCO DE who can play right away, so we can move Fils, and Savage to outside linebacker next year. Both are very good defensive players, but I think they will do better at linebacker.

Seth Smith is doing a wonderful job running the ball. He gets down to the redzone everytime in they take him out in put marquell colston in the game. I dont like that at all it seem like they are leting seth do all the runnin in not leting him get any touchdowns. That not right coach walker!!!!!!!

Teddy, I would hope you'd be better than not knowing how to read a stat sheet.

For two weeks in a row (and maybe longer, I don't read you much, but have the past two weeks), you've said Smith has more rushing yards than he has.

There is a column that lists the yards gained on the stat sheet (which you're reporting as his rushing yards) then a column that has lost yards. Then the column you should be reporting is "NET" yards.

Smith did not rush for 100 yards. He had 99 yards (he had a 1-yard loss). Not a huge deal in the grand scheme of things, but its hard to take a football beat writer seriously when he can't even read a stat sheet. Readers can't help but wonder if there are other things you just don't get so you report those wrong, too.

I'm sure the players love you for never taking into account such trivial things as lost yards or facts or stats or whatever else you overlook.

Reading a stat sheet shouldn't be too much for a reader to ask of the local beat writer, should it?

Here is my two cents. I was not a Mumme fan and was glad to see him leave. I am not a big Walker fan but its what we have and have to deal with. So far the team has been exactly what I and what everyone should have expected to see. There are no surprises in the losses and the lone win because of the new coaching staff. People are used to the team passing the ball on every down and scoring on somewhat big plays. Thats not happening this year and people are not liking it one bit. Walker runs the ball which is fine, it opens up the passing game. The only problem is that right now that is not working. The system favors a mobile qb who can throw when needed, not working. The system requires a defense to step in and give the offense a chance to rest after a long drive, not working.I dont believe that we are giving Walker a fair deal so far because like I said all this is what we have expected. However, we can demand certain things that are fixable to be fixed. First off as others have mentioned here I was dismayed when we ran the ball back to back with 20 yards to go for a 1st down. You cant do that and we can complain that. Fleming, he is not a good passer at all. Teddy you said that we can blame him when the receivers dont catch or the ball bounces off them, fair enough but we can blame him for underthrowing or overthrowing the receivers or throwing into double coverage. Walls might not be the starter but based on Flemings play so far we can demand that he be given a chance to earn the starting role on the field. Those are the things that dont need time to adjust that I think are what making Walker unpopular at this time. Know when to stop running the ball and when to change leaders on the field.

Wow, How many chances do you have to give QB's before you realize they don't have the talent? Based on the spring game (anyone remember those crappy performances- what did those two yahoos complete about 10-12 passes total? gimmee a break! I could see the writing on the wall back then... these two guys are a bust! Walls was playing a against the 2nd string much of his time in last night and couldn't complete the majority of his passes-and fumbled his first opportunity...face the cold,hard facts...this team does not have the QB's or the receivers to hang with the big boys this year...and don't even talk about the prospect of Rust ...that would be a complete disaster...a freshman who has played against lukewarm talent in high school? Ain't gonna fly in D-1...Walker and Rosey made some bad choices and now they have to live with them.....on the bright side the running game is a hell of a lot better which ironically should open up the passing game..which really shows the lack of talent/schemes in the passing game...the number one thing they had talked about all spring was Fleming and Walls' arm strength...strength is great but accuracy would be a little more helpful...if you're only going to throw 10-25 yarders all day might as well go for the accurate arm..if there is one...

I have been an NMSU fan for "only" 20 years, so I feel I can counter the people like Ralph who are saying that Mumme was a genius recruiter and that Walker doesn't know how to use these players. Mumme recruited two positions very well, QB and WR. Unfortunately for Mumme and (and us fans), that is only about 10% of the equation. Mumme was completely incompetent at recruiting kickers, RB, and defensive skill positions like CB, and he apparently thought it was ok to recruit linemen (on both sides of the ball) who are only slightly bigger than me (5'10" and 175). In short, I beg to differ with you Ralph, Mumme did not know how to recruit a complete football team. Even after that pain we have been through this young season, I will still take Walker any day over Mumme. Let's see what he does over the next few years. I am confident he can get something going. It just won't be this year.

All I can say is it is going to be one LONG SEASON, and Basketball starts in less than a month. I just hope MM has his act together and we do not go 0-4 or 1-3 against the Slimers and LoBlows because he does not underatand the rivialry. Walker was left with crums, so he needs atleast 2 years, but they are going to be 2 UGLY YEARS and ticket prices better COME DOWN!!!!!! If this does not happen by the end of the season our average attendance will be somewhere around 10K, and then DII look out!!!!!!

I think it is getting time to start looking at Boston's performance, and maybe start looking for a replacement. He has too mcuh ego to accept the responsibility as to how to improve the athletic programs here at NMSU.

I respect what everyone is thinking and saying, but I still feel that the Aggies have good talent on their team. This stuff about Walker not "having the right players for his system" is an exuse that is used when the personnel is not being properly utilized. It takes a lot of intensity and hard work to make a successful Div. I-A program. The atmosphere in Las Cruces is so laid back and not demanding of the athletes....it's almost too nice and comfortable for them. They know they don't have to give 100 percent because winning is not expected of them. THE ATHLETES ARE THERE TO GET AN EDUCATION AND WORK THEIR ASSES OFF IN THEIR SPORT TO EARN THEIR SCHOLARSHIP AND FOCUS ON WINNING! They are not their to make best friends with other students or meet their future wives or girlfriends...that's the problem with NM State, that's why they don't win...because the athletes spend most of their time taking advantage of the laid back community there. It's the same thing with the coaches that go there, they can get an easy paycheck for 4 or 5 years and not have to work very hard because no one holds them accountable.

Quite frankly, the Aggies need to hire an intense and mean *ss coach that will work their butts off and MAKE them play hard and be held accountable.

Living here in Texas, going to big school games and knowing people that have played for schools like Texas and A&M...I totally get now why NM State is never successful and I understand why most of the really good high school players from NM choose to go elsewhere. Football is not a "nice" sport and it takes intensity and serious devotion by the entire community to be successful. Las Cruces and NM State don't have that intensity. It's almost like they would be better off without football there.

Steve, I respect your opinion, but I never said Mumme was "genius recruiter" and I never said he recruited a "complete team", that's you putting words in my mouth. I am not a Mumme supporter in general. However, I do feel that Mumme did bring a considerable amount of athletic talent to NM State that is not being wisely used right now.

I wanted NM State hire Huston Nutt way back when or maybe they could have stayed with Samuel a couple more seasons.

And not to be sarcastic Steve, but I've been an Aggie supporter for a lot more than 20 years..lol. Like a lot of people who grew up in Las Cruces, I have spent a lot of money over the years going to games and traveling to see the Aggies. I even spent 100 bucks on a lousy ticket to see them get their butts blasted 66-7 by Texas over here in Austin...lol. I think I have a legitimate reason to gripe and speak my mind, as do others.

I don't like/dislike-approve/disapprove of the job Coach Walker is doing at this point in time as I feel it's too early to make those judgments. As far as the previous coach, I am quite glad he is gone.

Coach Walker should be accorded a reasonable amount of time to turn the team around. (UTEP hasn't done it with Price and they are going on something like 6 years.) That means giving Walker the three or four years needed to recruit HIS players, and giving the players the opportunity to learn and become proficient in the coach's offensive and defensive systems.

Ask me in the 2011 season how I think Coach Walker is doing. Before then, what's the point?

They are more serious about the high school football teams here in Las Cruces than NMSU is. They should look at more of those kids and give them scholarships instead of just wanting them to take the lottery scholarship and walk-on to the program. You don't have to have all NM kids, but I can honestly say that I think some from here and within the state can give you a better effort than some of these kids on that team now. Plus there are plenty of kids with intelligence and most you don't have to worry about there actions away from the team or school. And if we can't seem to come up with the talent to remain in Div. 1-A football, than move down and get re-established and then hopefully move back up. There need to be changes to keep this program going.

Wow, so many posts! What could've caused so much outrage ... haha.I think we should begin a campaign to bring Tony Samuel back. Who's with me?

If we were going to be so bad, we should've just kept Mumme, saved $500,000 and let him go after THIS season (and NO, I'm not defending Mumme)Dr. McKinley Boston must be so disappointed. I'd love to hear a brutally honest quote from him.Anybody think Dr. Boston's job is in jeopardy? Since he's been here, his major moves have been 1) Reggie Theus, 2) Hal Mumme, 3) Marvin Menzies, 4)Upgrading facilities. He hit a home-run with Theus; his Menzies' hire is average at best and the facilities upgrade is good, but when you look at our money-bleeding program, it doesn't seem like the best idea in hindsight. His BEST coach isn't even his hire!; Mike Jordan was hired by Faison. He seems to be running this program as if we are a big-time MAJOR program, and we're NOT. Faison actually had the right philosophy of "working with what we have" and not pretending to be something we're not. He brought in 'scrappy' coaches such as Tony Samuel and Mike Jordan.I think Dr. Boston is in need of a different philosophy or direction because our big money programs have been sinking for a few years now. And with men's basketball, we've lost McKines and Gillenwater for the Fall. We have some stormy days ahead of us.As for our miserable football team. I'd be willing to bet that we don't win another game all season long. Look at our schedule!

Well, bloggers are getting bold Teddy because quite frankly, the more people read your blog, the more they probably realize you really don't know much about sports and you probably couldn't get a writing job anywhere else but the Sun-News.

Whether people agree with my opinions or not, I'm glad that folks are posting and correcting you on so much that you don't know.

Jim Bradley..Gil Krueger..Fred Zechman..Mike Knoll..Jim Hess..Tony Samuel..Hal Mumme..and now,De Wayne Walker.Eight different head coaches in 46 years.In many D-1 college football programs,this would be seen as a red flag-that something is SERIOUSLY wrong with the fundamental program itself. I said this at the end of last year,and every time there has been a "regime change" in NMSU football-look deeper within the program-within the university itself as to why it seems to be content with tolerating such a losing program.IMHO,this should have been done during the off-season. And,one really has to wonder-for a city that has produced 11 of the last 14 state HS football championships between Mayfield and Las Cruces High -where is all that talent going? They must be doing SOMETHING right. I've heard from various sources of a "Warren Woodson Curse" that supposedly lingers over this program-could there be some form of truth to that? ALL of these questions NEED to be asked by EVERYONE involved!!!- Az Aggie is back!!!

Hmmmm interesting points, but I still do think that Walker is a great hire. It only 3 games into the season and its his first year!!! You all act like its gonna be a quick turnaround. Its a new system practically on offense. Also a new defense totally! I wouldn't start in on the guy until year 3 that when he should be winning at least 70% of the games. But cut coach walker some slack.

Can't help thinking about the about another true freshman quarterback from that "lukewarm talent" in San Diego that got a starting job at Michegan this year. True he started at Michegan in spring so he had a bit more time to adjust. BUT.... Rust was as good or BETTER quarterback than Forcier in San Diego the past few years....

Teddy nailed it - this year is a sacrifice for better years to come. Mumme left the cupboard bare. Mumme was a good recruiter as bloggers have noted of the QB and WR positions, but he did not recruit talent at other positions. Also, the good QBs and WRs are all gone (but I do think Anderson and Lee will be good players). The talented players we have on defense are more of an accident, not Mumme's stellar recruiting. House was never really significantly recruited and his success has been a welcome surprise.

I thought Walker played it well in the first half. Keep the ball out of UTEP's hands for as long as possible. He did not miss the field goal and did not make the dumb penalties in crucial situations. Whether he adequately prepared the team mentally for this rivalry is another question and subject to honest debate.

The one thing I would like to see from Walker is a commitment to recruiting Texas kids. I live in the Houston area (Katy), and the talent here is incredible. A lot of these kids are real good, but overlooked by bigger D-1 schools in Texas. Walker needs to pick them up, regardless of their scout or rivals ratings. They know how to win out here and that translates to the college level. UTEP's QB was virtually unrecruited out of Euless Trinity, but he was a winner in high school and is a solid D-1 QB.

Coach Walker just needs more talent across the board most notably at QB, D-line and Linebacker. he started the year with two quarterbacks that have no D-1 experience and they are both playing like it. The D-line is small as is most every position for the Aggies. While you can play with small corners who can cover and small safties, you can not play with small D-line, O-line and Linebackers.

We also need a KICKER it is a shame that a D-1 program does not have one kicker on the roster who can hit from 39-50 yards. To compete in D-1 football you must put points on the board when you have a chance, you cant go for it on fourth and ten early in in the game because you dont have a kicker. YOU WILL NOT WIN THIS WAY!!

Walker has good SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA connections, he has allready used them to get a few good players that we would not otherwise have gotten. Hell, he has walk-ons from So. Cal who will eventually work their way into the line up (Brian Bonilla and Devin Jackson)

Walker had to rush into recruiting and there was not much left by the time he took the job. He reached on some JC kids that he hoped would be able to step right in and contribute and a few of them have not worked out. I will not name them because I feel that they are doing the best that they can but just do not have the talent and skill level that the coach had hoped for.

Walker is a good coach with a good staff and players that work HARD!!!! He will recruit better players over time. Be patient AGGIE FANS!!!

I am a season ticket holder and I will admit I went to the game but didn't go back after the rain delay so I didn't watch all the game. One thing that strikes me is that I don't see any leaders in the offense. The defense is finding its way but the offense needs a true leader. Somebody that can unite them. I think Coach Walker thought this would happen with a junior QB but it is apparent the kid doesn't belong there. I think we can still save face and go with the better arm and younger QB.

I rather go through the growing pains and have a great QB that can be here for two more seasons after this year.

Well, I grew up in Las Cruces and for that reason I am an Aggie fan, but my real alma mater won't have football until 2011...but they hired Larry Coker to be their first coach. The same Larry Coker that led Miami to a BCS championship. We will be starting out I-AA (FCS) but we will be playing in the Alamodome (a really nice facility that seats around 65K) and will be eligible for I-A (FBS) after 3 years. I'm sure we will eventually play NM State and beat up on them like everyone else..lol.

NM State football has always been bad, but it's at an all-time low right now. I'm looking forward to supporting my alma mater and forgetting about the Aggies.

I've tried to stay a faithful Aggie fan because of all the good memories I have as a kid, going to their games. However, it's too painful to watch the program just get worse and worse.

Men's basketball at NM State still has a lot of potential and I'm excited to travel to Las Cruces for a few of those games.

SM, I live in San Antonio and I have lived in Houston before..it's true, Katy has some great players. NM State has landed a lot of players over the years from places like Austin, SA and Houston but the coaches at NM State never use them to their full potential. Robert Clay, a running back for the Aggies is from nearby New Braunfels, TX and he is just riding the bench at NM State...I know damn well he's better than Smith or Colston. UT-San Antonio is getting a football team finally and I guarantee you they will be recruiting a lot of Texas kids that NM State would normally get...maybe NM State will not take the Texas players for granted when UTSA comes around.